OshNW - Letter to the Editor: Olsen's Ethanol Conflict

Letter: Sen. Olsen has conflict on ethanol bill
State senate bill 380 is back and once again they are trying to force everyone to use ethanol-tainted gasoline. If ethanol were such a superior product, why would it need government to force us to use it? Ethanol has been proven to be an actual cause of more pollution not less because you need to burn more if it to get the same result as gasoline. But what is really interesting is whose name is listed as a co-sponsor of this corporate welfare and that is Senator Luther Olsen (R)-Ripon. Senator Olsen is part owner of feed and milling companies and his brother (Paul) operates Utica Energy, LLC that owns an ethanol plant in Oshkosh.

Senator Olsen in the past had decided to recuse himself from voting on pending ethanol bills due to business ties, so what has changed in the senators life that has eliminated his blatant conflict of interest? Is it now acceptable to have our elected officials pass laws designed to line their own and their families pockets? Senator Olsen is an embarrassment to the Republican Party and should resign.

Eric Destiche Appleton

Here is a summary of the bill.